Kathleen Young passed away on Nov. 20, 2025, due to complications from a stroke. She was 77.
Kathleen (née Wergin), was born on Sept. 4, 1948, in Manitowoc, Wis. She was one of five siblings. She enjoyed summers on the lake of her family‘s cabin in Door County, where she was an excellent waterskier. She loved literature, philosophy, and math and studied for a year at Wisconsin State University in Oshkosh.
Kathleen‘s life took a nomadic turn after her job wouldn’t let her take time off in the summer of 1969 to go to Woodstock, so she quit. Soon after returning from the famed event, she met her future husband, Jonas Caron, while they were protesting against the Vietnam War. They spent several years road-tripping with friends between Wisconsin, the East Coast to California, Baja Mexico, throughout the Southwest and eventually settled for a bit in southern Florida, where their daughter Astrea was born in 1973.
Her husband’s parents had a home on Martha’s Vineyard, and she fell in love with the Island. After their divorce she decided to make it her permanent home. She was incredibly adaptable, and could learn and thrive at any task or job. She was a seamstress for the Lily Pulitzer store in Edgartown, and later for Vineyard Decorators. She was also a server, taxi driver, and even delivered the mail.
She soon met her second husband, Jim Young. They were married in 1979 at the groom’s family home in West Tisbury by John Alley in his top hat, followed by a reception at the Youth Hostel. She felt blessed to gain another inspiring and loving M.V. mother-in-law, the first being the gracious and kind Gladys Langley Caron and the second being the indomitable and free-spirited Frances (“Frad”) Lineaweaver Young.
Jim and Kathleen built a geodesic dome home on their land in West Tisbury. Kathleen‘s love of animals inspired them to start a small farm with goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs, and many, many rescued cats. She also had a large garden, and enjoyed making healthy foods from scratch, such as her goat’s cheese and yogurt. She was even a beekeeper!
In 1980 the couple sponsored the Vongthips, a Laotian family of five who had spent three years in a refugee camp. The family resided for several years on Martha’s Vineyard adjusting to their new lives, and later moved to Chicago, where they continue to thrive.
In January 1981, their son Taggart was born at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Kathleen with her boundless energy and ability to multitask raised her children, her pets, and garden, and also started working and becoming interested in town politics.
She was West Tisbury town treasurer from 1982 to 1986. She was also a member of the West Tisbury Land Bank advisory board from 1988 to 1992. She felt passionately about conserving the Island’s land from overdevelopment and allowing for public access so not only a few got to enjoy it. She worked at the Land Bank from 1990 to 1993 as register and administrative assistant.
Kathleen started a new chapter after her second divorce, and bought and renovated a home in Naples, Fla., and again in Bonita Springs. She worked as a private chef and property manager, and even crewed on yachts. After many years away, she returned to the Vineyard and combined her love of the sea with her talent as a seamstress, and designed popular sailcloth pillows and bags.
Kathleen had a love of fun and adventure, and was always exploring. She loved swimming, biking, hiking, and dancing. She traveled widely, with her daughter to France and Spain, and with her son to St. John and Jamaica, also taking two solo trips to Hawaii.
She fell in love with the big island of Hawaii and hoped to retire there, but not long after her return to Martha’s Vineyard from Hawaii, she suffered a massive stroke. The doctor said she would never be able to walk again, but with her tenacity and endless determination, she did. After much hard work she even reached her goal of walking with her father‘s cane. She felt fiercely about living independently, and fought for more wheelchair-friendly accessibility.
In 2022 she moved to Minnesota to be closer to her brother‘s family. Tragically, later that year she lost her son to cancer, and greatly struggled with this loss. Her brother, Frank Wergin, and his wife Bridget Renlund, plus her nieces and nephews and their families surrounded her with love and support during this difficult time. They were all around her bedside when she died peacefully. She enthusiastically wanted to donate her body to science, and now someone has sight through her eyes.
Kathleen was a passionate, clever, loyal, and playful soul who always advocated for those without a voice, whether human, animal, or Mother Nature herself. She touched many, and will be missed by all.
She was predeceased by her son, Taggart Bellas Young. She is survived by her daughter, Astrea Dennise Caron Young; and her beloved grandchildren, Jack Bartholome Turgis Young, Kayamina Phoenix Young Bolotovsky, and Zurian Nesta Young Bolotovsky.
A celebration of Kathleen‘s life will be planned for September 2026 on the Vineyard. If you would like to donate to a charity in Kathleen‘s name, please donate to the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard, online at animalshelterofmv.org.
